In this episode Deborah, Edith, Jeremy and Lisa have a conversation about the role of white allies in leading on anti-racist action.
They address the importance of white people doing the work required to increase understanding and awareness of systemic racism, its impact and their part in dismantling it, without adopting roles of saviour or falling into a trap of performative gesture.
Related resources
Allyship involves deep shadow work, where we endure the ego-shattering shame of our own oppressiveness, Therapy Today, October 2022
Race matters: A culture of allyship, BACP Workplace, January 2022
Contributors
Deborah Barnett
Deborah is Anti Racist Strategic Lead for Hackney Children and Education directorate. She has played a key role in the directorate's drive to embed anti racism as a core principle and aspect of work and practice.
A former headteacher, school development manager and education policy lead, Deborah has worked in inner city schools with young people at risk of school exclusion and extra-familial harm. She has over 20 years of teaching, mentoring and pastoral leadership in various educational settings, with a focus on young people experiencing disproportionality in education, social care and the criminal justice system.
Edith Stokes
Edith is the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Lead at BACP. She is incredibly passionate about EDI and strives to embody that passion and tenacity in her work so that no one is left behind. As EDI lead, she has implemented new work streams such as mentoring and bursary schemes. Her primary focus is collaborating with stakeholders to successfully implement BACP's EDI strategy so that equality, diversity and inclusion are woven and embedded into all aspects of the Association, its membership body and, more broadly, the profession.
Jeremy Bacon
Jeremy is the Third Sector Lead in the BACP policy team. He has over 25 years' experience of work in the Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector which has included development of independent mental health advocacy and delivery of UK-wide support services for people with long-term conditions. Jeremy is a member of the BACP task and finish group developing the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion strategy and is passionate about the role of the third sector to increase access to talking therapies.
Lisa Aldridge
Lisa has 22 years in social work including 14 years at a management level. She has worked within Coram Family as a charitable service and within children and families services across the boroughs of Islington, Camden, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and London Borough of Hackney. She has been employed as Head of Service for Safeguarding and Quality Assurance since 2016, providing an excellent opportunity to develop her knowledge and skills in leadership while ensuring oversight of safeguarding and practice development in working with children across the Children and Families service as a whole. Lisa has completed the Centre for Systemic Social Work Practice Leaders course and is currently undertaking a Professional Doctorate in Advanced Practice and Research in Social Work and Social Care at the Tavistock Clinic.